Bank-check punch



(NoModeL) 2 Sheet-Sheet 1. S. S. WILLIAMSON.

BANK CHECK PUNCH. No. 462,290. Patented Nov. 3, 1891.

WITNESSES: INV ENTOR Wdhanasow S S Q p %M I BY ATTOH N EY (No Model.\ I 2 Sheets Sheet 2.

' S. S. WILLIAMSON.

BANK CHECK PUNCH.

No. 462,290. Patented Nov. 3, 1891.

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JNVENTOR ATTORNEY $0., mow-m ND UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL S. IVILLIAMSON, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

BANK-CHECK PUNCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 462,290, dated November 3, 1891. Application filed March 2'7, 1891. $erial No. 386,625. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL S. WILLIAM- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bank-Check Punches; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Myinvention relates tobank-check punches, and has for its object to providea device of this description which shall be efficient and rapid in use and very economical in cost.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improvement. Figs. 2 and 3 are sections respectively at the lines a: a: and y y of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 a detail per spective of the sliding check-clamp.

Similar numerals denote like parts in the several figures.

1 is the punch-head, and 2 the base, which may be cast in one piece, if desired, although I prefer to cast them separately and secure them together in any suitable manner.

3 are the gates for the punches in the head; 1, the punches in said gates; and 5 is afaceplate secured to the front of said head, whereby the punches are kept in position. At the top of this plate are the signs and numbers arranged opposite to the corresponding punches. 8 are springs whose ends are sccured, respectively, within the punches and head, as shown at Fig. 3, whereby said punches are normally elevated. The base has an elongated opening 9 therethrough at a point immediately below the punches, and over said opening are secured the dies 10 in any ordinary manner, as by screws 11.

12 is a slideway out within the base from side to side in the rear of the dies, and 13 is a slide which fits within said way and has a free lengthwise movement therein. The rear edges of the dies overhang said way, so as to constitute a keeper to retain the slide in position Within the way, as shown at Figs. 2 and 3.

1a 15 are the component members -of the check-clamp. The section 14is a thin piece of spring metal secured at the rear to the section 15, and provided at the front with any suitable lift-finger 16. In normal position the section 14; lies firmly against the section 15, and to introduce a check it is only necessary to lift the section 14 against its resiliency, and after the check is in position to allow said section to spring back and thereby clamp the check. The clamp is secured at 17 to the slide 13, so as to be carried thereby, and the section 15 is in close proximity to the faces of the dies. Within the section 14 is an opening 18, through which the punches operate to cut out the desired figures in the check. The check of course has no independent feeding movement, and therefore said opening is of a length sufficient to expose enough of the check to permit of the cuttingin the latterof a reasonable number of figures side by sidefor instance, seven.

In the rear of the punches is a series of guide-fingers 20, projecting upwardly and se cured to the check-clamp and separated-from each other by spaces 21.

22 are pins which extend laterally from the punches in the rear thereof and immediately across the vertical plane of the guidefingers, said pins bearing such relation to the latter that the downward movement of the punches will cause said pins to enter the spaces between the fingers and thereby accurately hold the check-clamp during the operation of punching the check. The tops of the fingers are beveled down, so as to aiford a flared mouth to the spaces 21, and thereby insure the ready introduction of the pins.

The operation of my improvement is as follows: The check is placed within the clamp, as hereinbefore set forth, and thelatter moved along (by reason of its connection to the slide 13) until the opening 18, within which itis desired to operate a certain punch, is brought in proper position opposite to the foot of said punch, the eye of the operatorbeing sufficient to determine this. It is only necessary to bring that part of the opening 18 within which it is desired to operate a punch approximately opposite to the selected punch, since when the latter is depressed its pin 22 will be guided within the proper space 21, thereby steadying the clamp and accurately locating the cutting-field of the punch. In

this way, using the figures as fast as they are ICO cut as guides, said figures may be cut consecuti-vely through the opening 18 within the check. The section 14 acts as a stripper.

I elaim 1. The combination, with a row of depressible punches and their dies, of a sliding checkclamp, and vertically-projectingspacing teeth secured upon said clamp beneath the punches, substantially as set forth.

2. In a check-punch,the combination, with a stationary series of punches and dies, and a sliding check-clamp beneath the punches, of guide-fingers carried by the clamp and with which the punches (so-operate to accu- 

